Jul 29, 2022, Business

Travel software development services

John Oxley Business Consultant
rescue wheel motive for travel software development
Many people are perfectly happy to use a smartphone app to plan their holiday, and the proof of that is the sheer number of mobile travel apps that are available on the market today. These people are more likely to communicate with chatbots to assist them with simple actions that don’t really require a complex answer, but will help them to book event tickets and suchlike.

More creative approaches to the tourism industry include using augmented reality (AR) technology to give the potential guest a tour of the destination and amenities.

Others use instant personalized messaging systems to keep tourists informed and up to date.

But without travel software development services, travelers would still be relying on travel agencies to do everything for them.

Digital transformation is a necessary part of moving forwards to meet tourism business needs of the future. Travel and hospitality software development services are a critical part of this to raise operational efficiency.

Connecting with other platforms using api integration is a must for exposure to other travel technology.

Today we are going to look behind the scenes and see just how important travel app development really is for the travel and hospitality industry.

What does the user want?

If a wish list was created by a travel software development company and submitted to the public for suggestions, there would be too many to count. Each person has their own preferred method of travel.

There would be main contenders, of course, such as flight bookings, reservations in hotels, tour ideas and other parts of the travel and hospitality industry, and those are already available via Google Play and iOS app store.

But there is so much more to offer on behalf of the travel industry, and software development services are churning out new apps to fill those gaps.

Covering all aspects of the travel and tourism industry, a travel software development company works with businesses to provide a comprehensive service to users, whether the focus is on booking engines, a travel portal, or tour operator software and travel agency software.

Payment gateway integration is a key addition to travel software, keeping the customer on page and connected. The longer a visit, the more suggestions can be offered, increasing customer experiences for the better.

There are also specialty mobile apps that do just one thing, but do it rather well. Tracking luggage, or providing expert local tours, for examples of customized business services. This type of niche market app is able to provide a personalized experience on a single platform.

Pre-development

The first step before approaching a software company to produce a travel website or a mobile travel app is to have the idea fully researched to know what is trending in the tourism industry at the moment.

Home in on the audience

Who is the website or mobile app aimed at? What is the target market? Depending on the age group, a mobile travel app might need to be simple to understand and easy to use, or more complex and flexible. A website needs to do the job with the minimum of fuss.

Older generations tend to have more commitments, but usually have more disposable income to spend on a longer holiday. Gen Z has less of both but will still enjoy a well planned holiday, albeit on the cheaper side.

The main age group for tourism are the millennials, coming in at the sweet spot of commitment and finances. They have the time and financial clout to enjoy travel, and they appear to have the most vacation days. 

They are also extremely comfortable with technology and are most likely to use their smartphones to connect to travel suppliers, vacation rental and any other segments of a trip.

It is very important for a company with a travel booking website or mobile app idea to know what the potential users expect from their travel adventures. The more information a company can get about their target audience, the better the app development will be. 

Planning and research is key to producing an outstanding product that ‘clicks’ with users and builds customer loyalty. Travel software development such as this will interest some of the larger online travel agencies for potential buyout situations.

Device availability

Technology marches on, and it is important to ensure that if travel and hospitality companies have a website, they need to have a mobile app as well. With travel api integrations, a customer will have access to many other aspects of trip planning with high quality services.

It is not enough to rely on visitors finding a web page using a laptop or desk computer. A mobile app connected to a travel website, either integrated or standalone, with customized services, is crucial.

Most of the people planning a trip will do initial research and possibly everything on their smartphones, and not having that choice will lose customers.

The user experience (UX)

Whether the mobile travel app is simple or complex, it is vital for the users to feel a connection to it. Suggestions and choices can be added by artificial intelligence technology to make this possible.

By using data collected from previous searches, a good mobile travel app will be able to offer options for a trip to make it appear as if it really knows the user’s thoughts, making customer loyalty increase with time.

Consultation with a travel software development company

Putting together business processes and strategy for a website and/or a travel mobile app is best done by working in coordination with a specialist software company who offer high quality services and the secondment of a professional team.

Advice

The software company can advise the client on the type of travel platform, the programming language to be used, and the approximate length of time it would take to incorporate all the required components.

The travel software company will also suggest additional software solutions according to their experience in that field. It might entail using an advanced self booking tool for services offered by the client.

If the mobile app idea is formed around shows and events, perhaps there is a need for user advice on avoiding crowd bottlenecks and queues, and payment gateway integration for ticket purchase.

For a destination management company in the hospitality industry, there might be a need for timeshare management software to be included.

API integration

There might be a need to discuss travel API integration with other products from travel companies and hospitality software to increase exposure for the users. Customer experiences can be improved by providing access to other areas of the travel industry.

Tech speak

All of this might be overwhelming for a client with limited technological knowledge, but good software developers with dedicated development teams will be able to strip out the tech related jargon and explain everything in a common language. Software solutions can be found to almost any problem with custom software and increase operational efficiency.

Throughout the web app development and mobile app stages, both parties will have clear and regular communications to keep everything on track.

MVP

After an agreed timetable, the travel software development team may produce a minimum viable product, a new website or mobile app that has adequate features to be released to early users, for the purpose of gaining feedback and generating interest.

User response

With a response from the initial early users, the product can be adapted to offer a complete set of components that will offer exceptional customer experience.

Reacting to suggestions

The software developers, working with custom software, have an in-depth knowledge and extensive experience of the chosen programming language and will provide the technology solution.

SLA

A service level agreement is a document compiled by both the customer and the travel software development company to cover all aspects of monitoring, maintaining and updating the software. The document needs to be precise, as it will be used as a set of rules if there are any issues or changes in the travel software development.

In the case of the travel industry, it is very useful for a travel management company to have the support of a professional team who are focused on custom software development services and will be available to act quickly within the agreed timelines.

Immense competition

There is, without doubt, immense competition in the travel industry and even a small step in travel software development will affect many business results.

Travel apps galore!

The travel market is almost saturated with flight booking apps, hotel reservation apps and so on, but there are ways to focus on niche markets and find the right product to develop.

Acquisitions

The biggest online travel agency, Booking Holdings, is responsible for around 60% of US and European travel bookings with their online travel agency. It is also acquiring competitors’ websites and their mobile apps to stay ahead of the rest.

Getting noticed

A niche market travel software idea that trends in the market might possibly be bought out by one of the larger groups in the travel industry, making the travel software development turn into a good investment for the future.

Travel technology solutions

Reservation management companies, tour operators, and travel agents all benefit from technology, and finding the right travel software for customers is essential for their business.

A travel software development company is able to produce and maintain any type of travel agent software to meet the business needs of the client. By working closely with the client at every step of a custom software development, it becomes a personalized experience for all.

Partnerships

Having a software partner to grow with the business allows for a constant improvement of the website or mobile app, providing great service and updates as new software solutions appear.

Digital transformation for travel companies is the biggest part of the new travel and hospitality industry, increasing operational efficiency and cutting costs.

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